September 9, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 143 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page S5354]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                          TRIBUTE TO TONY RECK

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I want to take a moment today to honor 
Tony Reck, who recently marked 50 years of excellence in the railway 
industry. He has been a friend and a leader in western Kentucky for 
many years, and I would like to join his family, friends, and 
colleagues in celebrating Tony's great success.
  Interestingly enough, Tony never planned to enter the railroad 
business at all. He studied aviation and joined the Air National Guard, 
expecting to spend his career in the skies. Instead, Tony's half-
century career in the railroad industry began as a summer job at the 
Illinois Central railroad after his first year of college. When he 
returned to school, Tony kept working at the railroad, eventually going 
to class all day and working at night. Clearly, Tony had developed an 
unbeatable work ethic early on, and it has served him well throughout 
his career.
  Tony was selected to join the railroad's sales department based in 
St. Louis, giving him the chance to travel throughout its service area. 
It was that position in which Tony began overseeing the operations in 
Kentucky.
  Changes in Federal regulations also meant big changes for Tony. When 
Jim Smith and David Reed purchased a Western Kentucky railway, they 
named it the Paducah & Louisville Railway and asked Tony to help them 
run the operation. Two years later, Tony was named the president of the 
P&L Railway, and in 1995, he became chairman and CEO. According to P&L, 
this full-service, 265-mile, regional railroad moves more than 21 
million tons of freight each year and supports hundreds of good jobs in 
western Kentucky.
  Tapping into Paducah's geography as the inland waterways capital of 
the world, the railway coordinates with barge operators to expand its 
reach even further. Shipping many important products, including coal, 
P&L also connects to five of the largest railroads in the country. 
Tony's long career managing these complex logistics has earned him a 
top-notch reputation both in the industry and the local community.
  Tony's experience and leadership continue to serve western Kentucky 
well, and I am proud to help him celebrate this milestone 
accomplishment. I wish him and his wife Farideh many more happy years 
as they continue to help make Paducah a great place to live and work. I 
urge my Senate colleagues to join me in marking 50 years of Tony's 
remarkable career in the railway industry.

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